


Breathe

by LittleMusket



Category: Star Stable, Star Stable Online
Genre: Gen, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 02:55:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11660151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMusket/pseuds/LittleMusket
Summary: The Soul Riders steal a barge and rescue Justin Moorland from Dark Core. Dakota and Justin catch up and wonder about the future.





	Breathe

Thunder crackled through the dark clouds and lightning danced in the rain and sea that washed across the deck of the barge. Dakota shivered as water poured off her dark helmet, soaking her hair. She pulled her jacket closer in an attempt to fight off the wretched cold. As she buried her hands in the pockets, she felt a crumpled piece of paper. Curious, Dakota retreated to the covered area where the Soul Riders had stowed their horses for the voyage and carefully opened the paper. On it, a to-do list that was left incomplete. She recognized the handwriting as Justin’s and expected so as this was his jacket. Water the horses, muck the stalls, check the Bobcat tracks. A few items later, the boxes stopped getting checked. The first one to remain empty was one simple word; breathe. Her stomach twisted and she began to feel lightheaded, and she rushed to the side of the barge before vomiting into the passing ocean. Gross.

 

“You okay?” Alex asked, walking over and rubbing Dakota’s back. “What’s wrong?”

“One part ocean,” Dakota said after she regained her composure, “two parts anxiety.”

“Oh man, I know.” Alex guided Dakota back to the horses and rummaged through a box for a water bottle. “It’s gonna be ok. We’ll get Justin and bring him home.” She handed Dakota the water, who took a small sip. The rain had turned Alex into someone entirely different, her once golden hair now dark. Dakota realized how exhausted her friend looked.

“Just breathe,” Lisa said, entering the makeshift stable with a sack of oats for the horses. There was that word. Dakota felt nauseous again and pressed her head into her hands. Alex continued to rub her back and whisper reassurement.

 

Dakota wished she could sleep. She wished the ocean would stop fighting them and hurry them to the oil rig. She wished they could just grab Justin and go. She just wanted to go home. She tried not to think of all that could go wrong. Eventually, Alex had to go and check on Linda to make sure she was doing alright. Lisa watched the horizon for any threats, occasionally looking back at the horses. Dakota moved towards the large bay gelding. Her horse, her Lionheart. He was so brave. He was with her every time she went to that wretched oil rig. When she stuck her hand out, Lionheart met it with his nose.

 

“The softest snoot,” Dakota murmured, laughing at her own terrible sense of humor. Meteor whickered at her, reaching his head towards her. With her other hand, she scratched the chestnut just behind his left ear. For the first time in the last few days, she felt truly calm.

“Oh!” Lisa jumped up, calling out to Alex and Linda. “Oil rig in sight!” Well, there went the calm. Dakota felt her stomach twist, but she tried her best to suppress it and go about tacking her horse. After making sure the bridle was comfortably on, she quickly put on the purple pad, half pad, and English saddle, and lead Lionheart further from the other horses so that Alex and Lisa could tack up as well. Adjusting her seating, Dakota made sure everything fit Lionheart right before mounting and waiting for the other two near the gate of the barge.

 

By the time everyone was ready to go, they were docked at the rig. They had to go over plans and weed out all the flaws, and quick. Someone would figure out something was suspicious about a barge that was empty aside from four girls and their horses. As Dakota listened, she scanned the levels of the rig for guards, but there were none. Everything was empty. Something was wrong. Lisa beat her to the realization, though, and announced it to the other riders. They did a final run through of everything. Dakota, Alex, and Lisa would go up to the helipad and search for Justin along the way, while Linda would stay and watch the barge.

  
  


The next ten minutes were torture. Dakota had never brought her dear Lionheart this far into the rig. There was no escaping if they were ambushed. She couldn’t just jump over the side and climb her way down through the beams. Even worse, if they were met with the Dark Riders, who knew what kinds of evil magic they were capable of? Dakota found herself running the tips of her fingers up and down the zipper of Justin’s jacket, and she hoped he would be willing to come home. She wasn’t really sure why she had chosen to borrow Justin’s jacket from his father for this mission rather than taking one of her own. Perhaps it would trigger some of his memories? Who knows.

 

“Breathe,” Dakota whispered, mostly to herself. The Soul Riders reached the top balcony that overlooked the helipad, and Dakota felt her nausea return at what she saw. There, at the end of a plank, was a barrel.

 

“They’re going to force Justin into that!” Alex guessed, pulling Tin-Can to a stop.

“What are we going to do?” Lisa asked, looking at all the guards that had gathered near the plank. Before anything else could be said, the door into the main building opened, though there was no one in immediate view. Turning Lionheart around, Dakota urged him forward.

“I’ll go check it out.” She said, looking back at her friends.

“Be careful!” Lisa whispered, checking to see if any guards were watching them.

 

Trotting through the open doors, Dakota slowed Lionheart to a walk as she looked down the right hallway, and then the left. Her breath hitched as she saw a man in the steam. It was him, Mr. Sands, the one who had offered Justin something so grand that he left his home and father and friends behind. Halting her horse, she met his steady gaze, her heartbeat so deafening that she almost didn’t hear him call her closer. She crossed the bridge over the steaming gap but dared not get any closer in case Sands tried to pull something.

 

“Dakota and Lionheart,” he began. “I had a feeling you were coming. I assume we don’t need an introduction, then. I know why you are here. You’re thinking about rescuing Justin, aren’t you?”

“I- How did you-” The look Sands gave her made her stop. “Yes.”

“Good. He did prove to be quite useless. Darko was right about that.”

 

Dakota paused and anxiously knotted her fingers in Lionheart’s mane. Darko. She nestled further into Justin’s oversized jacket.

 

“But I don’t want him to die.” Sands said, glancing down into the pit next to them. What was down there? “All of my offspring seem to lack the wrong stuff…. He’s still my flesh and blood. Today will not be the day he meets his maker. Not today. Nor will it be the big day for you and I. Yet”

 

Dakota felt just an inch of her soul ease. He did not want death in this moment. Soon, perhaps, but not now.

 

“Even if you and I are sworn enemies, Dakota, we have the same goal today. But only this time. Only today. We both want to help Justin. My generals have just taken him from his cell to throw him into the sea. I will set off the alarm and draw my generals back here, along with most of the guards. Maybe you and your...silly friends can take the opportunity to rescue Justin then? Do you think you can handle that? For both our sakes, just this time. Are you in?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice raspy. She didn’t think someone so evil could be this reasonable. To an extent, at least.

“Good. But after this, everything will return to normal. Remember that.”

“I know.”

“Then we agree. We have a plan, a temporary alliance. But once Justin is safe, I WILL crush you. Soon, soon you will meet your dark destiny. But not today, this is Justin’s day. Go now!” He ordered, and Dakota urged Lionheart back across the bridge and out the door.

 

Reaching Alex and Lisa, she was about to explain the plan when she saw the Dark Riders and Justin on the plank. Quickly, she explained Mr. Sands’ plan to her friends.

 

“So he wants to help?” Lisa asked.

“I guess so,” Alex answered, looking back at the open door. Suddenly, the sirens went off, and Dakota felt her heartbeat pick up. They sounded like police sirens.

“We’ll be safe right here,” Lisa said, turning Starshine around to face the open path. Guards ran by, followed by the Dark Riders. Only a few guards remained on the helipad, along with Justin. The girls trotted their horse down and around the base before stopping before two guards. From there, chaos began. Alex and Lisa used their powers to ‘remove the guards from reality for a while.’ Nothing remained of them except for a crystalline outline. 

 

A guard ran from Justin’s side, who took the opportunity to get Dakota’s attention. Stopping, she looked at him. As he waved, the barrel tipped over the edge and he began to fall into the ocean below. He looked so scared, and she felt her heart sink. Beneath her, Lionheart half-reared, and she heard his voice echo in her head. “ _ Let me take control. We can do this _ .” Releasing the reins, Dakota dug her hands into Lionheart’s mane. The bay gelding raced forward and jumped off the end of the plank after Justin.

 

Just as Lionheart’s hooves brushed the water, Dakota grabbed Justin’s hand and pulled him up. Only when he was safe beside her did she realize they were not in the water, but rather the air. Ghostly wings had sprouted from Lionheart’s withers, phasing through his tack and Dakota’s legs.

 

“Woooah, my god!” Dakota shouted, gripping her horse’s mane so tightly her knuckles turned white. “We’re flying?!”

“We’re flying!” Justin gasped, “I’m alive. I’m  _ alive _ !” 

“Brilliant!” Lisa called up to them. “Fly back to Linda! We’ll be there soon!”

“That’s amazing!” Alex exclaimed. “I can’t believe it!”

 

Lionheart soared around the oil rig, and Dakota saw Mr. Sands looking on as she carried Justin away. She had been so occupied with the mission that she never realized the rain had finally stopped. The wind tousled her hair, and she heard Justin blowing it out of his face. Laughing, Dakota let herself enjoy the flight. Justin held on and kept as close to her as he could with the saddle in the way.

 

“You alright, Justin?” She asked, looking back.

“I don’t know,” he whispered, looking at the barge as Lionheart began his descent.

“It’s ok,” Dakota reached back and placed a hand just behind his knee. “Just breathe.”

  
  


The trip home was quiet. Justin kept close to the girls and only slept briefly, for he was afraid of nightmares. Dakota learned that he got very little sleep because he would rather face exhaustion than the monsters of his subconscious. After that, there was little talking. Dawn began to creep over the horizon, and they found that they had followed the ferry route to Cape West rather than Fort Pinta. They docked just behind the Stable Island and discussed some plans as well as what Justin knew of the evil plans his grandfather had. When they reached the barn, Carin, the stable girl, gladly allowed the Soul Riders to board here for a day or so to rest.

 

“We’ll return to the winery tomorrow,” Linda reassured, turning to brush Meteor down. “Justin should probably get home. Thomas will be happy.”

“Home?” Justin perked up, looking at the girls. “Yes, home. That sounds good!” Dakota smiled at him and removed Lionheart’s saddle and pads.

“Promise you’ll remember to bring these with you tomorrow. They’re my favorites.” She chided, looking squarely at Alex, who smiled sheepishly.

“Sure thing,” Alex said, Tin-Can peering over her shoulder. “Now get outta here! You’ve got places to be.”

 

Dakota said her goodbyes to her fellow Soul Riders before walking over to Justin and Lionheart, who waited not far from the stable.

“You know,” Justin began, tracing just below the straps of Lionheart’s bridle, “I haven’t forgotten who I am. This was just...too hard.”

“I know,” Dakota whispered. They stood in silence for a minute or so, enjoying the crashing of the waves on the sand and the cries of gulls up above.

“Come on,” Justin broke the quiet, walking to Dakota’s side. “Let me help you up.” Though she was perfectly capable of lifting both herself and Justin, she accepted, and once she was on, scooted forward to give him enough room to hop up. Waving a final goodbye to the girls, Dakota kicked Lionheart into a canter and they went on their way.

 

It was an hour and a half ride to Moorland from Cape West, and they had only just made it to the riding arena below the winery when Dakota gave a bored sigh.

 

“It’s ok,” Justin said as Lionheart raced his way up the hill and out of the valley. “Just breathe.”

“Right,” Dakota said, smiling at people as they rode by.”

“By the way,” Justin began to sound like the dorky stable boy Dakota had met all that time ago, “are you ever going to give me my jacket?”

“Do I have to?”

“No.”

“I wasn’t going to anyway.”


End file.
